diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerengine.cpp b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerengine.cpp
index b8580587cdc..559382ce73d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerengine.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerengine.cpp
@@ -280,9 +280,6 @@ public:
 public:
     DebuggerState state() const { return m_state; }
     bool isMasterEngine() const { return m_engine->isMasterEngine(); }
-    DebuggerRunTool *runTool() const
-        { return m_masterEngine ? m_masterEngine->runTool() : m_runTool.data(); }
-    RunControl *runControl() const;
 
     DebuggerEngine *m_engine = nullptr; // Not owned.
     DebuggerEngine *m_masterEngine = nullptr; // Not owned
@@ -498,7 +495,7 @@ void DebuggerEngine::start()
     const DebuggerRunParameters &rp = runParameters();
     d->m_inferiorPid = rp.attachPID.isValid() ? rp.attachPID : ProcessHandle();
     if (d->m_inferiorPid.isValid())
-        runControl()->setApplicationProcessHandle(d->m_inferiorPid);
+        d->m_runTool->runControl()->setApplicationProcessHandle(d->m_inferiorPid);
 
     action(OperateByInstruction)->setEnabled(hasCapability(DisassemblerCapability));
 
@@ -935,8 +932,8 @@ void DebuggerEnginePrivate::doShutdownEngine()
 {
     m_engine->setState(EngineShutdownRequested);
     QTC_ASSERT(isMasterEngine(), qDebug() << m_engine; return);
-    QTC_ASSERT(runTool(), return);
-    runTool()->startDying();
+    QTC_ASSERT(m_runTool, return);
+    m_runTool->startDying();
     m_engine->showMessage("CALL: SHUTDOWN ENGINE");
     m_engine->shutdownEngine();
 }
@@ -957,12 +954,6 @@ void DebuggerEngine::notifyEngineShutdownFailed()
     d->doFinishDebugger();
 }
 
-RunControl *DebuggerEnginePrivate::runControl() const
-{
-    DebuggerRunTool *tool = runTool();
-    return tool ? tool->runControl() : nullptr;
-}
-
 void DebuggerEngine::notifyEngineIll()
 {
 //#ifdef WITH_BENCHMARK
@@ -1221,7 +1212,7 @@ void DebuggerEngine::notifyInferiorPid(const ProcessHandle &pid)
         return;
     d->m_inferiorPid = pid;
     if (pid.isValid()) {
-        runControl()->setApplicationProcessHandle(pid);
+        d->m_runTool->runControl()->setApplicationProcessHandle(pid);
         showMessage(tr("Taking notice of pid %1").arg(pid.pid()));
         DebuggerStartMode sm = runParameters().startMode;
         if (sm == StartInternal || sm == StartExternal || sm == AttachExternal)
@@ -1297,8 +1288,8 @@ void DebuggerEngine::abortDebugger()
         // We already tried. Try harder.
         showMessage("ABORTING DEBUGGER. SECOND TIME.");
         abortDebuggerProcess();
-        if (runControl())
-            runControl()->initiateFinish();
+        if (d->m_runTool && d->m_runTool->runControl())
+            d->m_runTool->runControl()->initiateFinish();
     }
 }
 
@@ -1313,11 +1304,6 @@ void DebuggerEngine::progressPing()
     d->m_progress.setProgressValue(progress);
 }
 
-RunControl *DebuggerEngine::runControl() const
-{
-    return d->runControl();
-}
-
 DebuggerRunTool *DebuggerEngine::runTool() const
 {
     return d->m_runTool.data();
diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerengine.h b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerengine.h
index aa6d3e5e606..a4ff6f47d0a 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerengine.h
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerengine.h
@@ -458,7 +458,6 @@ protected:
 
     void setMasterEngine(DebuggerEngine *masterEngine);
 
-    ProjectExplorer::RunControl *runControl() const;
     TerminalRunner *terminal() const;
 
     static QString msgStopped(const QString &reason = QString());
diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/gdb/gdbengine.cpp b/src/plugins/debugger/gdb/gdbengine.cpp
index 8e15bde5eec..926a730cd43 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/gdb/gdbengine.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/gdb/gdbengine.cpp
@@ -3221,8 +3221,9 @@ void GdbEngine::handleMakeSnapshot(const DebuggerResponse &response, const QStri
             const StackFrame &frame = frames.at(0);
             function = frame.function + ":" + QString::number(frame.line);
         }
-        QTC_ASSERT(runControl()->runConfiguration(), return);
-        auto rc = new RunControl(runControl()->runConfiguration(), ProjectExplorer::Constants::DEBUG_RUN_MODE);
+        auto runConfig = runTool()->runControl()->runConfiguration();
+        QTC_ASSERT(runConfig, return);
+        auto rc = new RunControl(runConfig, ProjectExplorer::Constants::DEBUG_RUN_MODE);
         auto debugger = new DebuggerRunTool(rc);
         debugger->setStartMode(AttachCore);
         debugger->setRunControlName(function + ": " + QDateTime::currentDateTime().toString());
diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/qml/qmlengine.cpp b/src/plugins/debugger/qml/qmlengine.cpp
index b3a719a15e8..b5e8fde5b96 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/qml/qmlengine.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/qml/qmlengine.cpp
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ void QmlEngine::handleLauncherStarted()
 {
     // FIXME: The QmlEngine never calls notifyInferiorPid() triggering the
     // raising, so do it here manually for now.
-    runControl()->applicationProcessHandle().activate();
+    runTool()->runControl()->applicationProcessHandle().activate();
     tryToConnect();
 }